Port Orchard Independent, March 07, 2014

Port Orchard Independent, March 07, 2014

March 07, 2014 edition of the Port Orchard Independent

Local man killed in Silverdale wreck
SILVERDALE —A Port Orchard resident was killed Feb. 26 in Silverdale. The Kitsap County Sheriff ’s Office said John David Harris, 36, was pronounced dead on the scene after his 2007 Yamaha Star motorcycle was hit head-on by a 2004 Chevy truck. Two 19-year-olds in the truck were not injured. The accident occurred around 6:10 p.m. at the intersection of Kitsap Mall Blvd. and NW Randall Way. According to KCSO officials, the driver was detained and questioned at the scene, but was found to be not impaired. Family and friends noted that Harris was a U.S. Navy
By SERAINE PAGE
For the Independent
Independent
Miller, a member of the high school dance team, said she has been dancing for 12 years. She performed a jazz dance to theme music from “The Pink Panther.” Along with being named queen, Miller will be awarded $1,500 in scholarship money. Miller, the daughter of Joel and Kerry Miller, won six of the 10 awards presented at the pageant. She
Queen
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By CHARLIE BERMANT
FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2014 N VOL. 123, NO. 6 N WWW.PORTORCHARDINDEPENDENT.COM N 50¢
Staff Writer
SEE UPSETS, PAGE A2
Miller will reign over Fathoms court
Port Orchard
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Editor
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
Staff Writer
INSIDE Man looks for redemption in BBQ restaurant A8
Jesse Beals/Staff Photo
Cody Wright from Milford, Utah, got a mouth full of mud and a zero score after falling off Strawberry Delight in the Saddle Bronc Riding competition Wednesday night at the Kitsap County Stampede. The fair runs through Sunday.
The South Kitsap School District is a little closer to closing its $2.9 million deficit for the upcoming school year. Terri Patton, assistant superintendent for business and support services, said at Wednesday’s school board meeting that the district won’t replace five full-time custodians who left the district after the last school year. She said that will save the district $250,000. Patton said the deficit stems from unforeseen circumstances when the district presented its last levy to voters in 2004. She cited escalating teacher salaries
Preview, fundraiser for market draws a crowd
and pension rates along with inflation as issues. In addition to the money saved on custodians, Patton said the district will dip into its reserve fund for $1.72 million. She said that’s not all bad because the district saved more than it anticipated in its last fiscal year, which ends Aug. 31. Patton said they also will save through not filling other vacant positions in the district, and through cutting expenses on supplies. The board unanimously adopted the budget. Patton warned in previous meetings that the “hard decisions” likely won’t end
view and fundraiser event to tour one of downtown’s newest venues that features vendor stalls, a large open ceiling with plenty of windows and a large stainless steel propellor. Don Ryan, market manager, was amazed at the turnout. “Public turnout was amazing, almost doubling our expectation,” he said. “Our spirits were lifted by the community support and excitement surrounding this great project.” Throughout the event, patrons walked
Custodians won’t be replaced, $1.72 million will be taken from reserve fund.
Seventeen-year-old Devenn Miller was crowned queen during the 2014 Fathoms o’ Fun Festival Royalty Pageant held March 1 at the Christian Life Center. Miller, a junior at South Kitsap High School, was shocked at the announcement. “Oh my gosh, it’s amazing,” said Miller after the pageant. “I wasn’t expecting it at all. I’m really excited.” Her platform for the pageant was the Holly Ridge Center because of her special needs brother Cory. She plans to become a child psychologist.
JEANETTE DALTON
BRUCE DANIELSON
SEE SCHOOL, PAGE A2
BUSINESS Crowd welcomes The Coffee Oasis A5
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By JUSTINE FREDERIKSEN
Staff Writer
Inserts: Fred Meyer, RiteAid, Office Depot, Best Buy, Staples, Wal-Mart, Valassis
Printed with recycled paper and environmentally friendly soybean oil-based ink.
Tensions between two Port Orchard neighbors that erupted after one attempted to open a home business last year led both women to head down to the Kitsap County Courthouse Monday and file restraining orders against each other. Shelia Cronan, 49, said she filed a restraining order against Amber Keehn after returning home from a camping trip Aug. 17 and discovering pellets had been
shot in three of her home’s windows. Cronan, who lives on the 200 block of Flower Meadows Street in Port Orchard, said she believed the attack was part of an ongoing dispute with Keehn, whom she alleges has been running a hair salon out of her home without a business license and in defiance of a city “stop-work” order. Keehn, 30, said she filed for permission from the city of Port Orchard to operate a hair salon out of her home on the 2300 block of Flower Avenue soon after pur-
chasing it last spring. City Development Director James Weaver confirmed that Keehn received a conditional-use permit to operate a onechair hair salon out of her home, which he described as “pretty innocuous” and something that doesn’t typically reach “the level of intensive use,” as far as impacts on the neighborhood are concerned. However, since November of 2007, Cronan has filed multiple complaints with the city regarding traffic, noise and other
SEE NEIGHBORS, PAGE A2
SOUTH KITSAP’S SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION SINCE 1890
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business.
activities she reported as stemming from Keehn’s attempts to operate a business out of her home. Weaver said following an April 11 hearing with the city’s Hearing Examiner, certain conditions were placed on Keehn’s permit to mitigate Cronan’s concerns before she would be allowed to operate her business. “(Keehn) has addressed all but one of those conditions, with the last being the letter from the (Kitsap County) Health Department,” Weaver said, explaining that Keehn’s current sewer facilities are
Event attracts more than 400 patrons
Editor
A Section Editorial Robert Meadows Scene & Heard Sports Legal Notices Mary Colborn Obituaries
A4 A4 A5 A6 A7 A7 A8
With great anticipation, more than 400 people packed into the new Port Orchard Public Market on Feb. 28 to get their first glimpse at the transformation of the 100-year-old building — a project that has been in the work for two years. Some people stood in line for more than an hour after the start of the pre-
Inside
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
South Kitsap’s Source for News & Information Since 1890
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
SPORTS Gonzaga Prep too much for South Kitsap A25
Expectations were turned on their head in two Kitsap County political contests during Tuesday night’s primary election, as the perceived front-runners came in third and were disqualified in their respective races. Republican Tim Matthes drew the most votes in the South Kitsap commissioner’s race, followed by Democrat Charlotte Garrido. Monty Mahan, who was the first to declare for the seat and earned the endorsement of local mayors, came in third (See related story, page A3).
TIM MATTHES
CHARLOTTE GARRIDO
Devenn Miller, a 17-year-old South Kitsap High School junior, was crowned queen of the 2014 Fathoms royalty court by the 2013 Fathoms king, Aaron Thomas.
“Oh my gosh, it’s amazing. I wasn’t expecting it at all. I’m really excited.”
– Queen Devenn Miller
SEE PAGEANT, A11
Dannie Oliveaux/Staff Photo
▼ Matthes, Garrido advance in SK commissioner race; Dalton, Danielson in judicial contest.
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SEE WRECK, A27
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Remember to set your clock ahead one hour on March 9
A group of people examine items placed on the silent auction table during last Friday’s gala for the new Port Orchard Public Market.
SEE MARKET, A27
Dannie Oliveaux/ Staff Photo